Veteran trains winner from hospital operating room!

VETERAN horseman Darren Billinger achieved a feat which could be an industry first this week.

While lying unconscious in a surgery recovery room, Billinger trained a winner at Globe Derby!

After spending time enjoying another of his passions - playing cards - on Sunday, Billinger suddenly became ill on the way to feeding his horses.

Passing out twice as his conditions worsened during the next few hours Billinger was taken to hospital by his wife, Julie.

Placed on a drip overnight while awaiting test results, Billinger was diagnosed as suffering from acute appendicitis.

"I felt ok while I was playing cards, then on the way home I started feeling crook," Billinger said. "I fed horses in the heat and passed out basically as I got inside.

"It came on so quickly so I presumed it was Covid, but the test said it wasn't and by that time I couldn't sit properly.

"I laid for 30 minutes, went to get up to go to the toilet and passed out so Julie took me to hospital where I passed out again in the waiting room.

"They did a few tests as they thought it was my heart at first, but an MRI showed it was appendicitis, once they got the result they took my appendix out straight away.

"I was still sound asleep when Twin Connection won and it's the first time I have ever slept through one of my horses winning."

With Anthony Robinson taking the reins, Twin Connection led throughout to score by a neck from Indys Approval.

In a 'blanket' finish, Golden Jaylet was a neck away third, with Sporty Frank a neck away fourth.

First-up for four months, the son of He's Watching rated 1:59.3 over 1800 metres, taking his record to four wins and five placings from 18 starts.